Is doomscrolling quietly damaging teen brains? Scientists warn it is more than just a waste of time

Economic Times

a day ago

Scientists have revealed that excessive passive scrolling, or doomscrolling, is severely impacting teenage mental health. Teens glued to screens for over two hours daily showed dramatic increases in anxiety, depression, and impulsivity. With nearly half needing medical evaluation despite no prior issues, researchers urge parents to limit screen time and promote physical activity to protect developing adolescent brains.
A new study warns that doomscrolling for more than two hours a day can double teens' risk of anxiety and quadruple their risk of depression. (Representational image: iStock)
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Researchers found that 45% of adolescents displayed psychiatric symptoms within nine months, highlighting how passive screen use is quietly fuelling a mental health crisis among youth during a critical stage of brain development. (Representational image: iStock)
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It may seem like harmless downtime—hours spent scrolling through social media feeds, mindlessly consuming content. But neuroscientists are sounding the alarm: for adolescents, this habit known as " doomscrolling " isn't just killing time—it could be harming their mental health in dangerous and lasting ways.According to a report from the Daily Mail, a new study has revealed that teens who spend more than two hours a day scrolling on phones or tablets double their risk of developing anxiety and are four times more likely to show signs of depression. The findings, published after a nine-month-long study of 580 adolescents, paint a sobering picture of how digital habits are quietly reshaping the emotional landscape of an entire generation.The research team, led by Professor Emma Duerden, Canada's Research Chair in Neuroscience and Learning Disorders , focused on adolescents aged 12 to 17 with no prior mental health diagnoses. Shockingly, by the end of the study, 45 percent of participants displayed psychiatric symptoms significant enough to warrant further medical evaluation."This is really surprising," said Prof Duerden. "Before COVID-19, rates of anxiety in adolescents were between 8 and 15 percent. Now, we see almost half of the sample reporting heightened anxiety, which is alarming."The study tracked not just the amount of screen time, but also the way it was used—whether teens were actively posting, chatting, or simply scrolling. It was the passive form of engagement, the relentless scroll of content without interaction—what's commonly called doomscrolling—that showed the strongest negative impact on mental well-being.This comes against the backdrop of a worsening youth mental health crisis . NHS data from the UK shows that over 20 percent of children aged 8 to 16 had a probable mental health disorder in 2023—a sharp rise from 13 percent in 2017.Prof Duerden emphasized that adolescence is a critical period for brain development, especially in areas governing emotion regulation and impulse control. "In past studies, we've seen teens report as much as 15 hours of daily screen time. They wake up, go on a screen, and stay on all day," she said.Limiting screen time to under two hours a day, while encouraging physical activity, is among the most effective ways to support adolescent well-being. But as any modern parent knows, the solution is easier said than done.This new research doesn't just highlight the mental health dangers of digital overuse—it also signals a cultural crisis in how we engage with technology. Doomscrolling thrives on algorithms built for endless engagement, yet teens are increasingly paying the price in anxiety, depression, impulsiveness, and even aggression.The question now isn't just how much time young people spend on their screens—but how that time is shaping their minds. As doomscrolling becomes a daily ritual for millions, scientists and parents alike are urging a rethink of what we consider "normal" digital behaviour.